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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28808991">Wish It Were Me, Jenny</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_Rosewood/pseuds/R_Rosewood'>R_Rosewood</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Borderlands (Video Games), Borderlands Pre-Sequel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon Backstory, Character Study, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Past Lives, Past Relationship(s), Pre-vault hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:29:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,083</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28808991</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_Rosewood/pseuds/R_Rosewood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Springs lost more than some skin that night and it has ruined her... and Moxxi can no longer sit by and watch Springs lose herself to grief.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Janey Springs &amp; Moxxi, Janey Springs / Mad Moxxi, Janey Springs&amp; Mad Moxxi, Janey Springs/Moxxi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Oh, Honey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At first, Moxxi thought it had been an engineering accident. </p>
<p>It wouldn't have been the first time; Springs was famous for her lack of finesse when it came to things such as attaching potentially explosive Stingray engines to lightweight motorcycle frames whilst live machine gun barrels pointed themselves towards unlit fuses. <em>Delicacy</em> didn't seem to be in her vocabulary and ensuing explosions weren't uncommon.</p>
<p>There was, after all, a reason she lived on the outskirts of town.</p>
<p>However (contrary to popular townsfolk belief), Springs didn't drink often - least of all get drunk. She'd lived too close for too long next to the bandits and kraggons to know better than to let her inhibitions fall to the point where she didn't know which end of her gun went <em>bang</em> and which end she pulled the trigger.<br/>And so when Springs became a regular, that was the first sign something was wrong.</p>
<p>Moxxi's next assumption had been that Springs was trudging her way through a particularly rough breakup, although she doubted it had been anything serious. The woman was a criminally free spirit and never known to settle - Moxxi wasn't sure the girl knew <em>how</em>. But for the past week she’d been sitting quietly in the farthest booth from the windows and door, curled in on herself and ordering a series of drinks that you could drug elephants with. But she'd always stood and left before the sun fell. </p>
<p>It had now been three hours since sunset and still Springs had made no signs of moving. </p>
<p>Something was very, very wrong.</p>
<p>So as the last few of her bedraggled patrons left the bar on stumbling feet, squabbling over who was taking who home, Moxxi leant over her bar and beckoned Springs with a crooked finger and fleeting smile. </p>
<p>The lanky, broken frame that was Springs caught her eye and carefully unfurled from the corner booth, her lips twisted in a drunkard's smile, her cheeks hollowed beneath the neon lights of the silent bar. She made her way unsteadily across the barren floor. </p>
<p>"<em>Heeeey,</em>" Springs said, slurring as she leant her elbows atop the wooden counter. "Sp-M," she hiccuped. Rubbed at the bandages tight around her neck. Stained. How had Moxxi not noticed them earlier? "Fancy meeting you here, Moxshi." she leant forward. "Cm'ere often?"</p>
<p>"Here every day, honey." Moxxi pressed her palms flat against the countertop to steady herself. Springs looked awful. Quite literally dead on her feet - more bandages than skin, past the point of pale. She looked <em>sallow</em>. </p>
<p>Spring's pupils were blown wide and her eyes unfocused, seemingly unable to remain upon one target although she tried to hold Moxxi's gaze. Moxxi realised that whilst Spring's may have been looking at her, she sure as hell wasn't seeing her.</p>
<p>She was seeing ghosts. Memories. Someone else. </p>
<p>"Oh, honey." </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Wish It Were Me, Jenny</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"She's gone. And I-I can't sleep. Not without <em>her</em>."</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Springs had lost weight. </p><p>Moxxi could feel it as she took the woman's thin face between gentle hands. Her cheekbones were alarmingly pronounced and delicate beneath her fingers, the hollows of her cheeks deep and the dark circles beneath dim, sunken eyes seemed to be the consequence of more than just a few nights of missed sleep. </p><p>Moxxi felt a deep ache bloom and tug at broken heart strings. </p><p>The poor dear hadn't the weight to lose in the first place.</p><p>"Springs." </p><p>The woman's gaze rolled to meet her own. </p><p>"Mm." </p><p>"Honey, you gotta tell me what happened. You sit here every day and die a little each night and I just, I can't keep standing by and watching." Moxxi knew that this was breaking almost every rule she held within the bar; don't get involved with customers, don't ask about their problems and actually <em>care</em> about their response, don't get involved, don't get involved, <em>don't get involved.</em></p><p>And here she was, getting involved.</p><p>"...don't wanna..." </p><p>"Don't wanna what?"</p><p>Springs shook her head, still held between Moxxi's hands. At this point, it was probably the only thing keeping her standing. </p><p>"...don't wanna...talk 'bout it."</p><p>"Springs, honey. Where's Jenna? Hm? Where's Jenny?" </p><p>And something in Spring's bruised eyes cracked. Moxxi saw it immediately; a shard of something already so fragile <em>shattering.</em> It was like watching a candle blown out behind fogged glass. A tear rolled down her pale cheek and Moxxi realised Spring's hadn't stopped shaking her head. </p><p>
  <em>Denial.</em>
</p><p>"I lost her." </p><p>Finally, she spoke. Springs had never sounded more sober. Moxxi's heart thudded to a stop. Jenny had been the only thing tethering Springs to this backwater moon. The woman had always had a knack for making sure her head was screwed on as straight as it could be.</p><p>Springs tipped forward unexpectedly and, leaning haphazardly across the bar, her face slid from Moxxi's hands and dropped her into the crook of the bartender's neck. Her knees shook, threatening to buckle. </p><p>"She's gone. And I-I can't sleep. Not without <em>her.</em>" Now she’d started, Springs couldn’t seem to stop; everything burst from her lips like a tidal wave. A torrent, unstoppable. “We were-were jus’ havin’ fun. Gotta bit carried ‘way. Lost focus on everythin’ but her and we…I didn’t even hear ‘em comin’.” </p><p>Moxxi felt the soft tickle as Spring's eyelashes brushed the skin of her collarbone. She'd closed her eyes; clenched them tight against the memories. </p><p>"'s...'s bloody unfair. She never did nothin' wrong, Mox, not like me." her voice cracked. "It shoulda 'bin me. Christ, wish it ws' me.<br/>
"<br/>
“The scavs? Or the Kraggons, Janey?” it was the only thing Moxxi could think to say. She wasn’t sure which was worse. </p><p>Springs mumbled something into Moxxi’s shoulder. She made out <em>‘ggons’</em> and pieced together the rest for herself. She sighed and brought her hands up to Spring’ shoulders - wary of the likely bruising back there, too. </p><p>“You promise me you’ll go see Nina right now, then I’ll promise you I’ll stay with you the entire time, Janey.” Moxxi pressed her nose to the blonde bedridden mess that was currently Spring’s sporting hairstyle. Bandanna askew. “But I need ta hear you say it, honey.” </p><p>The muscle of Spring's jaw pushed against Moxxi's throat as she grit her teeth. </p><p>"I can't say this again, Mox." she sounded exhausted. "I don't want anyone else to <em>know</em>." </p><p>"It's alright, sugar." Moxxi released her grip as Spring's stood, swaying. "Ya won't have to. Just get your wounds treated before you lose an arm. Or worse." she eyed the bruises marring Spring's eye. "Promise?"</p><p>Spring's tilted her head back, baring the bandaged column of her throat. </p><p>"Promise."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This has been a work in progress for m o n t h s and I think I finally just snapped and finished it. I really wish Springs' character had been expanded upon - both her past and her future.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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